Torment of Tantalus Ron’s goodbye
by Limby
Summary: Some times the only thing left to say is goodbye.


Disclaimer: These characters are owned by Disney, not me. It was done out of a sense of fun and community with other fan fiction writers, not for profit.

A/N: My first ever fan fiction. Reading some of the other fics inspired me. (Even though I'm a complete noob/hack.)

A/N: I had a few writer dilemmas I describe after the story. I would appreciate any insights on those problems, and/or any CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.

**EDITED 6/6/2007** to clean up typos, wrong word usage, and to add initial line to set the scene.

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**Torment of Tantalus (Ron's goodbye) **

A few hours before daybreak two teens found themselves in a park not far from their respective homes.

"Ron, ... please ..." Kim cried through tear filled eyes

"I'm sorry. I wish you could love me more, or that I could love you less, but that's not how it is."

"I take back what I said, ... I ... I love you Ron! I want to be your girlfriend!! I want us to be together forever!! I'll be who you want me to be!! I can change, I know I can, just give me a chance!!"

That one hurt. To hear her say "I love you.". How long has he dreamed of hearing those words from her? ... To hear them now, and to know she wished to her core it was true, but he also knew it wasn't. ... Yeah, that one was going to leave a permanent mark on his soul.

He knelt down to her, and lifted her face to look into here eyes. "I want you to be YOU. That's who I love. Not someone who has to try and convince me or herself that she feels something she doesn't." God, this was hard. Part of him cursed himself for not slipping out of town without a word, but he knew he owed her more than that, so here he was, telling to woman he loved, why he had to leave.

"Why can't you stay!?" she pleaded. "I need you in my life, I can't imagine going a whole day without seeing you, how can you leave, and tell me your don't know where your going, or if your coming back!? Ron, ... I ... can't ... breath" She gasped between sobs. "I think...I'd ...die...if you...left"

"Shhhh ... " He whispered as he held her in his arms. "It will be ok"

"Not if you leave. Nothing will ever be ok, if you leave."

He held her for what seamed an eternity, then said. "Kim, I have too."

"Why?"

"I wish we could go back to being friends, but I can't. I love you too much. I can't go back. Seeing you every day, talking to you every night, going on our missions. ... It's just too much. ... Last week in English Lit. do you remember the story of "Tantalus"?"

"You'll have to forgive me, the shock of my life crumbling around my ears, and you telling me you actually paid attention in English Lit, is too overwhelming for me remember much of anything." She said with both tears and a smile.

That was more like it!! At least he got a little smile out of her. God he was going to miss the way those eyes looked when they had that sparkle. ... "Well this story kind of hit home." ... "We where reading about Greek Mythology, and one of the stories was about "Tantalus". He was punished by the Gods. ... I don't remember why, you'll be glade to know my attention span is still limited." He said with a wink. "Anyway, his punishment was to stand in a shallow pool of clear water next to a fruit tree, loaded with low hanging fruit. Every time he would reach for a water, it would reseed away from him, and every time he reached for a piece of fruit, the tree would lift the branches higher, placing it out of reach. His torment was to be surrounded by what he wanted, but never able to have it." He paused for a second. "Kim, for me, that is what it's like being with you. I know you would never hurt me on purpose. I know you care so deeply for me, but your not able to return the love I have for you, and it's killing me."

"I wish, someone else made you feel this way instead of me." She replied.

He looked quizzically at her.

"If it was some other girl, I could beat the stupid out of her for hurting you that way." She said in a all too serious tone. Ron, actually believed she would have done it too.

"I wouldn't want you beat anyone up, especially yourself." Once more he pulled away from their embrace to gently place his hands on each side of her face and lift her eyes to his. "I need you to listen very carefully to me right now." He paused until he was sure she was ready to focus on what he was about to say. "Kimberly Ann Possible, I need to leave to make peace with myself. I'm not trying to cause you any pain, or hurt you in any way, shape, or form. It's not in me to see you in pain, I hope you can believe me, because I'd never lie to you. This is what I need to do to find some peace within me. I don't blame you for not returning my love, please don't blame me for loving you."

"Ron?"

"Yes?"

"I do love you. Not the way I know you wish I did, but never for one second doubt that I love you. I wish it was different, more of a romantic love. If I can't feel that way about you, I'm afraid that I may never feel that way about anyone. Some of the other boys may give me butterflies, but I can't imagine any of them being a part of my soul the way you are, and forever will be."

This time it was Ron's turn to cry. They held each other for what seamed another eternity. Finally Kim spoke again. "Ron, go make peace with yourself, but then come back to me. In the mean time, I'll try to be sure to let the bad guys get in a few blows to my head. Maybe that will fix whatever is broken in there that is keeping me from loving you completely. If you ever need me, call for me, I'll drop everything to be there for you."

"If your in the middle of saving the world, finish that up first." Ron said with a little smile.

Kim reached out, grabbing the sides of Ron's face, and looked deeply into his eyes. "You are my world. God help me, but if I ever had to choose between saving you, or saving the planet, I'd let the whole thing burn down around me before I'd see you get hurt. It's just killing me that your in pain right now, and it's because of me."

"Ditto KP"

They remained lock in an embrace, all the words where gone. After about another hour all the tears where gone. An hour after that they were finally able to let go of their embrace. Hand quickly found hand, and they walked a little while longer. Without words or tears, their two souls drank deeply from one another storing up for the long drought to come. Having said his other goodbyes at his house, and at Kim's earlier, they left the park near their homes, and walked to Ron's waiting car, already loaded down with his earthly possessions. One last hug, and one final kiss was how they left it, before Ron drove away. No goodbyes between them. There is no such thing when you take a part of someone with you when you go.

The day was breaking and the sun was starting to rise, birds started to sing. Some how it didn't seam right. It's was as if they didn't get the memo that today was a sad day. A day for endings, yet the sun twinkled brightly, and birds sang happily, and Kim and Ron couldn't help but be overcome by the thought, that maybe today was a day for beginnings after all.

The End

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A/N: The intent was to make a sad angsty kind of story. (I love the boy and girl live happily ever after stuff, but you got to write what you know.) Please don't kill me, even in my little world I want these two to get together, but that, as the say, is another story.

A/N: I have a few writing problems that I was torn with. 1. The setting. I didn't have one in mind when I started, but found I needed one near the end. I was going back to insert it near the top, but found it to be a distraction from the story flow I was looking for, so I left it alone. In this case, I mean setting as in the Park, as well as how Ron and Kim are in regards to physical position and closeness. I like to set the stage, but sometimes think "simple is best", don't mention it until it become relevant. What do you guys think? 2. The lines "No goodbyes between them. There is no such thing when you take a part of someone with you when you go." I wanted to go with "There is no such thing between soul mates", but I didn't want to explain that "soul mate" in my book means the person that completes you, not necessarily the one that is meant to be your "forever love". Also "soul mate" seems a little over used these days, so I tried to convey the idea without the name. Did I get the point through, or was this a little confusing?

A/N: Well that's my first stab at fanfiction, hope someone somewhere was moved by it.


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